On November 25, 2006, an unarmed 23-year old black man, Sean Bell, was shot 50 times by plainclothes detectives of the New York City Police Department as he walked out of strip club, Kalua Cabaret, in Jamaica, Queens, where his friends had thrown a bachelor’s party for him.

Sean Bell died on the spot and two of his friends who were shot in the incident sustained serious injuries.

In the seven-week trial of three detectives indicted by the grand jury on charges of manslaughter, assault, reckless endangerment amongst others, the judge found the police officers not guilty of all the charges.

It is worth noting that the police detectives were at the strip club to investigate accusation of prostitution. The detectives argued that they felt endangered when they heard one of Sean Bell’s friend say “yo, get my gun” following an argument inside the club. What followed has remained contentious.

What is not contentious is that Sean Bell was shot 50 times. He is dead, a groom, a father and a son. The judge, Justice Arthur J. Cooperman, who tried the case instead of a jury, decided that it was reasonable for the detectives to fear that someone in the crowd had a gun. He also said that many of the prosecution witnesses were unbelievable.

Justice or no justice, right or wrong, justified or not justified, Sean Bell has joined a long list of unarmed black men who fell in the hands of New York City police detectives.

On February 4, 1999, a 23-year-old unarmed black man, Amadou Diallo, was killed by the New York City police detectives. They opened fire on him, discharging 41 rounds. When tried, the detectives were acquitted of all charges.

On March 16, 2000, a 26-year-old unarmed black man, Patrick Moses Dorismoud, a security guard, was shot by New York City detectives following a scuffle. The officer who shut Dorismoud, Anthony Vasquez, was tried and acquitted.

On May 22, 2003, an unarmed black man, Ousmane Zongo, was shut and killed by New York City police detectives when he found himself on the path of a police raid of a counterfeiters’ warehouse. Zongo was not involved in counterfeiting. Officer Bryan Conroy who shut Zongo four times as he ran away from the raid scene in confusion was tried but received no jail time. He was convicted of criminal negligent homicide and given 5-year probation.

In Norfolk, Virginia, in the late nineties, I worked as a night clerk at Econo Lodge. One night, disturbances ensued in one of the rooms. I called the Norfolk Police. I stood outside the hotel room waiting for cops to arrive. Upon getting there, the cops saw me standing outside and drew their guns.

“Put your hands on your head,” they screamed.

I wore a black jacket. Inside the jacket were my hands tucked in. In my right hand was a bulky black cordless phone. I was eager to put my hands on my head but what would the cops make of the black phone when it comes up with my right hand?

If it were New York City police, chances are that I would have been a dead man today.

If it could happen to Sean Bell, it could happen to you, especially if you are black.